Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-09
PACIFIC COAST.
COLLISION ON THE VIRGINIA AND
TRUCKEE ROAD.
The Hong Di Trial - Woodland
Excited-Summer Showers-At
the Soldiers Camp-Etc.
SPECIAL DISPATCHES TO TIE RpcosD-uSIos.)
THE oOLusA MURDER.
\ Clear Case Against Hong Di-Whole-
sale Perjury.

| NSA-SHEhi Clb-7-1l6 Vi I1OIlR III
was proceeded with to-day. The Court
convened at 9 o'clock. A large crowd was
present, including a number of ladies.
Annie Billion was the first witness called
| tor the prosecution. She testified as fol-
lows My name is Annie Billiou Ireside
near st. Johns. Ny sister Maude, Weaver
and myself were present when mother
was shot. We were just finishing supper,
when the kitchen door was opened and
! shot fired. 1t struck Weaver, and he fell
| to the floor. The next shot struck mother.
| She fell over onto the floor. | then ran
| out on the porch and around to my bed
room window, and Just as | jumped in /
| looked back and saw Hong running after
me. Weaver then told me to look ont of
the dining-room door, which l did. Just
| then Hong fired at me.
Nothing was developed in the cross
| examination.
Maude Billion was sworn and examined
! by the prosecution. She, corroborated her
sisters testimony in every particular.
X. b. Denning was sworn for the prose
cutlon. He went to the Bilious about
half-past in the morning. Saw the bull
let-holes in the door-the door that was
broken open with the AK Saw Mrs. Bill
liou lying on a bed dead Found three
| empty shells and one loaded and saw
Hongs shoes and apron on the porch
Searched for Hong on the place and tracked
him to the river about three-quarters of a
mile from the house. He took long steps.
as if running.
Aaron Evans and James White testified
similarly to Denning.
Officer Perdue then brought on the gun
used by Hong.
W. Il. Wadhams of Chico was sworn
and identified the gun. 1t is 3S-caliber
Colts rife.
Hall, the keeper at the Chico free bridge.
identified the gun as the one found by him
on the bridge.
g. w. Saunders was sworn for the prose-
cution. Saw defendant on the Orov9UI
and Marysville road Defendant Jumped
over a fence and ran across the field |
pursued him, and found knife in his
shirt-pocket.
There was no cross, examination ofssix
witnesses.
The prosecution then rested.
THE DEFENSE.
Hart made an opening speech of fifteen
| minutes.
Hong Di sworn. He testified the same
as the prosecuting witness, except that he
! killed Mrs. Billion accidentally; that
Weaver had been mean TO him. When he
saw Annie put her head out of the door
he thought it was Weaver. Hong Di cried
on the stand.
The croSs-examination of the prisoner
was conducted by District Attorney AL
berry. The witness said that about O'Clock
| in the evening Weaver came home with q
load of wood. About $50 saw chicken
hawk go down behind the shed, and went
and got my gun and put thirteen loads in
| it, and went after the hawk. | did not get
| to shoot. As l came back ! heard some
IATl L. I
| in and took the gun with me, and put il
| behind the kitchen door that leads onto
| the porch. When l went to the pump
house to get water to cook supper Weaver
was there, and called me q -
| and said for me to go back and attend TO
| my business. When he came to supper
| be went through the kitchen and passed
! through to the dining-room, and called me
names again, and said he would kin me
| before ! got out of the United States. and
| that quickly. When | fred the tirst shot
l stood in the corner of the kitchen right
| close 10 the door. After | fred the first
shot l threw the door open with the gun.
and the gun went off accidentally and
killed Mrs. Billion. The door was open
abOuth half an inch when | shot Weaver
Circumstances showed this to be false.
for he said and showed TO the jury that he
held the gun in downward position when
he showed the door open and fired the shot
that killed Mrs. Billion. because the bullet
that hit Mrs. Billion had a downward ten
dency, while if it had gone off accidentally.
as sworn to by the defendant. it would
have went over her head He was then
handed the gun by Albery and handled it
with such rapidity that it ast6nished all
the Courtroom.
He continued, and denied following
Annie around the house, but said he did
go around to the window of the dining
room 10 see If Weaver had Jumped out
He then came back and stood by the door
with his gun, waiting for Weaver to come
out. He said that he wanted to kill
Weaver, and the coolness with which be
talked about the terrible murder produced
a silence in the Courtroom. After | fired
three shots ] then got an AK and hit the
door. ! wanted TO get in to kill Weaver
Then | heard Weaver halloa, and fired
again. l got the ak from the woodshed.
He was then asked in regard 10 the state
ments made by him in The Oroville Jail,
and also in regard to the letter written in
the Jail at Colusa to Consul Bee.
The defense closed at 2:25 p. II. During
the cross-examination of defendant the
Courtroom was packed Men were stand
ing inside the bar. During the taking OF
testimony quite a number of funny ques-
tions were asked by the jurors, which pro-
voked laughter.
In re5uttal, Billion was sworn, but moth
ing was developed.
Weaver was then called in rebuttal. He
said the statements of Hong Di regarding
their relations were false.
Wadhams was then called in rebuttal
He said that this kind of gun could not go
off accidentally, unless it was fixed Ger
tain way.
The case closed at O'Clock. and District
Attorney Albery made an opening state
ment OF one hour. He showed the crime
to be the bloodiest that ever had been COM
mitted in Northern California.
Mr.. Hart then took up the defense, and
argued the accidental shooting until the
adjourning hour. The Court then ad-
iourned until Saturday at 8 o'clock, at
which time the argument will be con-
cluded. 1t will probably go to the jury in
the forenoon.